[Tango-L] Dancing socially to Piazzolla

[David Thorn]

Joe Grohens wrote:

> It would be like playing, I don't know, Giant Steps, at a swing dance.

Indeed.  Giant Steps is 290BPM and not difficult for a decent Balboa dancer (but nearly impossible for any but the
most spectacular Lindy Hopper).  However, even most Balboa dancers would turn up their noses at Giant Steps for
reasons similar to those that cause many Tango dancers to call Piazzolla "undanceable".

I.e. - Many dancers do not have the skill to dance to Piazzolla (or Coltrane) because they don't listen to or dance
to them.  If your tango dance life revolves around the Golden Age, you might never acquire either the requisite
listening or dance skills to dance to Piazzolla.  Many swing dancers don't like the relative complexity of
Coltrane or any of the other bop or post bop jazz musicians (they need that "4-on the floor" beat of the swing era),
just as many Tango dancers don't like the relative complexity of Piazzolla (they need the strong 1 and 3 walking beat).
As Mr. Fox said regarding Oblivion - Where's the Beat?  On the other hand, if you were to spend a few months dancing
exclusively to Piazzolla (Coltrane), you might acquire those skills.

It is one thing to say that I don't like to dance to Piazzolla, or I can't dance to Piazzolla, or that I have never heard
Piazzolla played at a Milonga in BsAs, or even to say "of course I can but why in the world would I ever want to?".

It is an entirely different thing, and I think incorrect, to say that Piazzolla is not socially danceable.

Cheers

D. David Thorn

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